The app is extremely similar to Snapchat, allowing users to send photos and videos to friends that disappear once they are viewed, and to add captions and draw on images. However, unlike its competitor - which it once tried to pick up for a cool $3bn - Slingshot requires users to send friends an image back before they can view a message, likely in order to get more people actively using it.

Facebook said on its recently launched Slingshot blog on Tuesday, "With Slingshot, we wanted to build something where everybody is a creator and nobody is just a spectator. When everyone participates, there's less pressure, more creativity and even the little things in life can turn into awesome shared experiences. This is what Slingshot is all about."

While firms rarely acknowledge those they are mimicking, Facebook gave a nod to Snapchat, saying that it is a fan of the app, but adding that Slingshot is perhaps the more advanced to the two.

"We've enjoyed using Snapchat to send each other ephemeral messages and expect there to be a variety of apps that explore this new way of sharing," it said. "With Slingshot, we saw an opportunity to create something new and different: a space where you can share everyday moments with lots of people at once."

Slingshot is available only in the US at present, where it can be downloaded for free from the iTunes App Store and Google Play store, respectively, for iOS and Android. Facebook said that the app will be compatible with iDevices running iOS 7 and Android devices running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean and above.

There's no word yet as to when, nor if, Slingshot will be coming to the UK. µ